The Blues have lost Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Conor Gallagher is now targeted by West Ham, who have just had a £40m bid rejected for the Englishman.
Chelsea aren't in the best position to lose Gallagher, as Enzo Fernandez and Carney Chukwuemeka are the only other two central midfielders in the squad.
Their pursuit of Moises Caicedo has been frustrating and unfruitful, with their latest bid of £70m instantly rejected by Brighton, who are demanding around £100m for the Ecuadorian.
The west Londoners may be forced to resort to different targets, and they still retain an interest in Romeo Lavia.
Who is signing Romeo Lavia?
According to Sacha Tavolieri, Liverpool are trying to close in on a £45m deal for Lavia, but Chelsea may attempt an “ultimate approach” thanks to Joe Shields’ "pressing".
It was previously reported by The Athletic that the Reds are set to make an improved offer for the Southampton gem, after having an opening offer of £37m be shunned by the Saints, who are holding out for around £50m.
However, the report says that Chelsea retain a firm interest and could have an advantage in the deal due to Shields’ connection to the player.
The 36-year-old was recruited from the south-coast outfit last summer as the club’s co-director of recruitment and was a leading figure in Lavia’s move from Manchester City to SouthamptonWhat position does Romeo Lavia play?
Despite Southampton’s abysmal season, in which their 11-year stay in the top-flight ended, the youngster emerged from the rubble with a prestigious reputation.
Lavia, who has been described as “incredible” by Pep Guardiola, has showcased he is a phenomenal ball player and a tenacious asset in central midfield.
romeo-lavia-southampton-premier-league
Indeed, in 29 Premier League appearances, the Belgian averaged 2.1 tackles, an 86% pass accuracy, and completed 68% of his dribbles. Such stats are impressive, particularly considering only Enzo Fernandez (2.5) and N'Golo Kante (2.3) made more tackles per game of Chelsea's midfield players last season.
Arguably winning back the ball is his standout trait, as Lavia was one of only three U21 players who won possession in the midfield third 100+ times (114) to display how he excels in his age group.
Nevertheless, he is still extremely comfortable on the ball and holds supreme technical quality. This has been echoed by Jean Kindermans, Anderlecht's head of Academy, who said: “He’s always calm on the ball. You can give him it under pressure and he will solve the problem.
Paul Scholes has also recognised his all-round profile, adding: “He is a young player who can do both sides of the game, equally good defensively but also once he is on the ball he has tremendous feet and can pass it.”
Another player that Chelsea are linked with, who also exudes on-the-ball competence and eye-catching dynamism, is Mohammed Kudus.
In The Athletic’s Profiling of 50 exciting players under the age of 23, it is stated that the Ghanaian sees his best position in midfield and as a result, he could form an exciting partnership with Lavia if played slightly in front.
Last season, the 22-year-old recorded 100+ successful take-ons (104), 100+ ball recoveries (134), and scored 16 goals, ranking him as the highest for each metric in the Ajax squad.
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